(Negative Progression Records)
Genre: Screamo/Emocore akin to Still Remains mixed with Nevea Tears.
Interviewed on: 2/15/08
From: Fremont, CA
www.myspace.com/thesubtleway
1. What are your names and roles in the band?
Jamie Tahirkheli-vocals
Marcelo Sedano-guitar/vocals
Jason Miller-guitar/keys/vocals
Michael Vu-drums
Chad Archila-bass
2. How did the band form?
The band originally started with Jamie and Jason playing covers and writing songs in their freshman year of high school. We were all really close friends throughout highschool and so I was asked to join the band a couple years later. After our old drummer left, I asked my good friend from a previous band, Mike, to join and he was down. After some bassist changes, Chad Archila joined the band to shed us with his godlike bass skills and good looks.
3. You guys are signed to Negative Progression Records, how did you hook up with em?
We hooked up with Negative Progression after sending them an email. We were like "Hey, check us out!" and we were way stoked when we found out Seth Hyman, the president, was interested in signing us. It was a year or so before we decided that NPR was the right label for us and that they would help us accomplish what we had set out to do.
4. How does the writing process occur? Have you been writing for the new record?
The writing process usually starts with either me or Jason coming up with a part or sometimes even a majority of a potential song. We all as a band play on it, give suggestions, tweak parts, etc. till we're happy with how the song sounds. Jamie typically writes the lyrics and the melodies last. We've been working on writing material for our next record and we're all experimenting with new elements. We're definitely excited about this one.
5. Being from California, do you think it's easier or harder starting out in such a musically populated state?
I'd say it's somewhat harder to get your name out in California since there are so many bands, unlike a state like Nebraska or something where there might not be that many playing our style of music. It seems like every kid and their pet raccoon is starting band these days. The good thing though is that the scene in Cali is huge and so there are definitely a lot of kids supporting the bands and coming to shows.
6. When can we expect a new record/full length?
We're currently in the process of writing a new record but I believe we're aiming to have it released sometime before or around the summer season. We'd like to be able to play new songs on our summer tour.
7. Any crazy show stories?
There have been quite a few on tour haha but the one I think of is when we played a local show in Dublin, I think, and during one of our songs I was rocking out really hard and didn't realize Jason was behind me and pretty much managed to hit him really hard in the face with my headstock. He ended up bleeding from his lip for the rest of our set and needed to get stitches that night on his lip. It was a gnarly wound, and I definitely felt like crap.
8. Any chance of a national tour coming soon?
We're most likely going to be doing a national tour this summer. Last summer we did a tour that went through the southern US all the way to Florida and Georgia. It was definitely a fun tour and we're stoked to be coming back this summer.
9. What are you currently listening to?
Oh man, I listen to a lot of different music but lately i've been listening to The Album Leaf, Sigur Ros, Mayday Parade, Born of Osiris, and the new Lupe Fiasco which is way dope. We play everything in the van, I think last week Jamie and I were blasting the Spice Girls album. It was classic.
10. What's next for The Subtle Way?
We're working hard to write the new album and record it. But once we're done with that, definitely a lot of touring this spring and summer!
11. Any shoutouts?
Shout out to Seth Hyman at Negative Progression, all those kids who have let us crash at their places on tour, our families, friends, and most importantly our fans. We love you guys!
